Red Caps and Hinkypunks
by NRC
Summary: The Boy Who Lived and his faithful sidekick were preparing for a Halloween party. NOT SLASH. Oneshot. AU, FIC CHALLENGE.


**DISCLAIMER: _All recognisable characters belong to J.K. Rowling._**

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"Ron, listen to reason!"

"There's nothing _wrong_ with my outfit!"

"_Everything_ is wrong with your outfit!"

The Boy Who Lived ran circles around the redhead, flapping his fingers helplessly at the outrageous stunt his best friend had pulled.

"Ron, if you're going to try to impress Romilda Vane, you're going to have to change into something more acceptable!"

The redhead, who had his legs joined together as one for the costume in the shape of Hinkypunk, hopped to the mirror and faced his blue self.

"Do you have _any_ idea how long it took to squeeze my legs into this costume?" Ron demanded, pointing to the blue material that bound his legs together.

"Why did you even think of a _Hinkypunk_?" Harry cried, frustrated at his friend. "Of all things, a _Hinkypunk_?"

"Because of the _theme_! The creatures we learned about in third-year, when Lupin was teaching us, because we're celebrating it at Lupin's house."

"Why a _Hinkypunk_?" Harry moaned, the red cap falling off his head as he put his face in his hands.

"Because all the good ones were taken; I had to go as _interesting_ instead." When Harry didn't look up, but continued wailing about his fate, Ron snapped, "Look, Harry, it was either this or the Chudley Cannons. D'you want me to look like a neon beacon to impress Romilda?"

Harry stopped. "Ugh, no. Bright orange never worked with your hair."

At the mention of his hair, Ron turned back to the mirror to examine it. Or what _was_ his hair. It was now gelled flat to his head, and Glamoured blue, not one inch of the famous Weasley red visible.

"D'you think it'll set in time for the party?" Ron asked Harry anxiously, still eyeing his hair.

His best friend stepped forward to examine it. "It looks like it's already set," he commented, sticking out a finger gingerly to test the stiffness of the hair. "Yep, it's already set. Now we just have to wait for Ginny to finish her Dementor costume, and we're all ready to go; Fred and George said they'll just Apparate there later."

Harry stepped towards the DVD player he had given as a Christmas present to Mr Weasley, deciding he might as well watch a movie while waiting for the youngest Weasley sibling. Ron resumed his minute scrutiny of his reflection. Five minutes later, a Dementor appeared at the entrance of the living room.

Ron almost had a heart attack, before realising the Dementor was walking; it was just Ginny.

"Come on," she said, heading towards the couch where her purse sat.

"Relax, Gin," Harry said absentmindedly, engrossed in his movie. "It's not for another hour, and we all know that you just want to spend that time snogging Malfoy."

Ginny ignored his comment, but Ron didn't.

"You know," Ron said conversationally, turning back to his reflection, "I still don't get why you'd go for someone like Malfoy."

Ginny didn't even look up as she shot back, "And I still don't get why you'd go for someone like Romilda Vane."

Ron spun around. "Hey! She's the most beautiful girl in the whole world, okay? She's got the shiniest, silkiest, blackest hair, and her eyes are so big and beautiful and deep and—"

"Pfft yeah," Ginny interrupted, rolling her eyes. "That's what you said about Padma Patil, too."

Ron opened his mouth to retort, but Harry, who had been watching the movie in peace and knowing that once the two siblings got started, they'd never stop, cut swiftly across him.

"Oy!" the Chosen Captain yelled. "I'm watching a movie here! Let's just sit down, calm down, and watch _Lord of the Rings_, okay?"

Ron shot Ginny a glare before turning back to the mirror, while Ginny rolled her eyes at the two boys. There was a sudden crash in the kitchen, and Tonks appeared.

"Hey guys," she said cheerfully, popping her head into the living room. "Just picking up the ice-cream."

She vanished in the next second with the ice-cream, and Harry returned to his movie, mumbling under his breath. There was a knock on the front door, and Hermione let herself in without waiting for someone to open the door.

"Hey, you guys," she said, waving to everyone. She was going as a Grindylow. "Are we all ready?"

"It's not for another hour, Hermione," Harry said a little stiffly, not taking his eyes off the TV screen.

"Oh-kay," Hermione replied, her eyes turning to Ron and Ginny, asking why Harry's jaw was clenched.

"He's watching a movie," Ginny supplied helpfully.

Hermione stared at her in bewilderment. "Spectacular."

Just then, the front door opened again, and Draco Malfoy entered. There was a sudden rush as Ginny launched herself at him, while Ron mimed retching in the mirror, and Hermione almost fell as she quickly stepped out of the way of the manic redheaded-girl's runway. Harry tried his utmost best to remain concentrated on the movie, but his rising ire at all the distractions was not helping.

Double cracks resounded throughout the house as the Weasley twins Apparated downstairs, and much to the annoyance of Ron and Harry, Hermione did her own version of Ginny's 'welcome-Draco-Malfoy' routine at Fred.

The Pothead had had enough. "WON'T ANYONE LET ME WATCH MY MOVIE?"

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**AN:**

Written for Bittersweet x's **Creature, Quote, Color Challenge**.

Please don't tell me they're OOC; they're supposed to be. This story was set in Halloween, one year after the final battle. Fred didn't die, Lupin didn't die. The Trio-year went back to Hogwarts to complete their education.

**Review your thoughts and opinions.  
**


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